The Seventy's Course in Theology, Third Year / The Doctrine of Deity

by B. H. Roberts

Footnotes

[1]. It may be thought, at the first reading of this statement, "the angels are a little lower than man," is in conflict with the scripture, "Thou madest him [man] a little lower than the angels" (Heb. 2: 7). But I call attention to the marginal rendering of the passage in King James' translation, "Thou madest him a little while inferior to the angels." Without stopping here to consider which is the better translation of the passage, it may be said of the latter that it is in better harmony with the context of the passage as it stands here in Hebrews, and also in Psalms, than the preferred rendering of it in the regular text; for in both places it says of man, "Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all things in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him." Moreover, we see the same thing is said of Jesus that is said of man: "We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor" (Heb. 2: 9). Surely "made a little lower than the angels," when said of Jesus could be but for "a little while inferior to," etc.; and that only in the matter of "the suffering of death." So, too, with man; he is made "a little while inferior to the angels," after which period he would rise to the dignity of his place, when it would be seen, as said in the text with which this note deals, "the angels are a little lower than man," that is, of course, when man shall have attained unto his exaltation and glory.

[2]. He was a poet of Cilicia, of which province Tarsus, Paul's native city, was the capital. He wrote about four hundred years before Paul's time.

LESSON XXXVI.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

SOME OBJECTIONS TO THE TRUE DOCTRINE OF DEITY.

ANALYSIS.	REFERENCES.
I. God Is a Spirit, Hence Not Material—Without Form or Body.	The Mormon Doctrine of Deity—Roberts-Van Der D Discussion. Chs. i, ii, iii and the notes of this Lesson. Also Chapter v in the above work. It is a Collection of Passages from leading Elders of the Church, setting forth "Mormon Views of the Deity."
II. God Is Invisible—Hence Immaterial, Without Body or Form.
III. Anthromorphic Appearances and Descriptions of God Only Used to Make Plain Spiritual Things.
IV. The Answers.

SPECIAL TEXT: Stephen, "being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." Acts vii: 55, 56.